“Mina is manipulating me? I hadn’t thought about it that way. She must seem opportunistic in this scenario.” I lean back in my chair, studying him with open amusement. “And I’m the victim.”
He doesn’t answer, but I can see him reassessing me.
Smart man.
“Dr. Whitman, I appreciate your concern for my welfare. Truly. It’s very touching.”
Irony drips from every word.
“I’ve spent four years not knowing I had a child, but now I do. So no, Doctor, I’m not being coerced. I’m not being manipulated. I’m choosing to save my son’s life because he’s my son, and that’swhat fathers do. Now, if you’ve finished protecting me from the threat of an exhausted and emotionally distraught hundred-and-twenty-pound massage therapist, I’d like to get back to her.”
Dr. Whitman stares at me for a long moment. Then, slowly, he signs the form.
“Good luck with the surgery, Mr. Montoni.”
“Thank you. I’ll be sure to let you know if Mina tries anything nefarious. You never know with these devious single mothers.”
I leave him sitting there, mouth slightly open, and walk back to my son’s room.
Mina is exactly where I left her, curled in the armchair, watching Leon sleep. She looks up when I enter, a question in her eyes.
“Well?”
“I passed.” I settle into the chair beside her. “Apparently I’m mentally stable enough to donate an organ.” I let a brief smile cross my lips. “Though the psychologist did seem concerned that you might be manipulating me.”
Her eyebrows rise. “Me? Manipulating you?”
“Mm. Taking advantage of my emotional vulnerability. Tricking me into dangerous surgery with your wicked feminine wiles.”
She stares at me with dawning outrage. Her mouth drops open. “I never— I couldn’t begin to— How dare he think that—”
I cover her hand with mine. “I’m teasing you, Mina.”
She glowers at me. “I couldn’t manipulate you into anything. You’re the most cunning person I’ve ever met.”
Silence stretches between us. Leon shifts in his sleep, murmuring something unintelligible, and we both freeze, watching him. But he settles again, his hand tightening around the T-rex’s tail, and the moment passes.
“We need to talk,” I say finally. “About what happens after.”
Mina tenses. “After?”
“After the surgery. After Leon is discharged and we leave this hospital.”
She’s watching me warily now. She knows something is coming.
“Once Leon is well enough to be discharged, you’ll both come home with me.”
“We will?” Mina asks in a defensive tone.
“Leon will need extensive care during his recovery. So will I.” I keep my voice calm and reasonable. “The mansion has space. Staff. Resources. Your mother lives there. I will hire a private nurse if we need one. You won’t have to worry about anything. Your job. Leon’s medical bills. I’ll take care of it all.”
“That’s not for you to decide.”
“I want my son where I can see him.” The words come out harder than I intended. I take a breath, softening my tone. “I’ve missed four years of his life, Mina. I won’t miss any more. I’ll be recovering for weeks. How else will I see him?” I pause. “There’s nothing else I’ll ask of you.”
I can see the worries flickering behind her eyes. She wants to refuse. Every instinct is screaming at her to refuse.
But how can she? I’m about to undergo major surgery to save our son’s life. I’m offering her a safe place to recover, with no medical bills, no stress, no struggling alone in that cramped apartment.
